This is going to sound weird.
Especially after hometown hero (from Lincolnshire and formerly playing for Stevenson High School) Jalen Brunson just led his New York Knicks team to an NBA title.He was the series MVP, was incredible throughout the playoffs and in the clinching final game on Saturday, he single-handedly willed his team to victory. He scored 45 points in one of the great NBA Finals individual performances of all time.
Subscribe to Chicago Star’s Weekly City Buzz Newsletter
So, especially the timing of this is going to sound weird. But I will say it anyway.
I don’t like his game. I don’t like the way he plays. Too much me, me, me. Too much ball dominance. As a basketball coach, and as a fan, and as a basketball “purist”—it simply is not enjoyable basketball to watch.
Put another way, and using the very basics of childhood playground terminology: He is a ball hog. Sorry to be so blunt, but in raw terms, that pretty much describes his game.
He dribbles way too much, shoots too much, passes only if he has to, and does not in any way make his teammates better.
The Knicks had some tremendous players, who were hot and on their game the entire playoffs. Guys like O.G. Anunoby, Mikal Bridges, Josh Hart, Karl Anthony Towns, and Landry Shamet all could barely miss shots when given the chance. They played tremendously. But they rarely got the ball!
It was Brunson, Brunson, Brunson—first time, all the time.
When the Knicks did move the ball and go into their passing game, it was a thing of beauty. In previous series, and early in the Finals, this is when the Knicks were at their best. Sharing the ball, making the extra pass, passing up good shots for great shots. Ball moving, players moving. Fun to watch.
When basketball is played like that, it is a thing of beauty. Poetry in motion. And the Knicks were all that and more at certain times.
But for much of the games—and again, this complaint is really against all common sense, because they just won the championship, but I will say it anyway—things skidded to a halt when Jalen Brunson did his one-on-one thing. When this happens, the rest of the players pretty much just stand around.
Again, all due respect to the dude. He was phenomenal and has an amazing ability to score the basketball and is a legit NBA superstar, but still—I don’t like his game. Not fun to watch, and certainly not team basketball.
Additionally, I don’t like the way he leans into players with the sole purpose of trying to get a foul. In fairness, a lot of NBA players do this these days, but I don’t like it. I don’t think a lot of other fans do either. Put it this way: If you go straight up for a shot and get fouled? God bless you, and enjoy your time at the free throw line. But when you get a defender up in the air and then purposely jump into them to draw the foul? No good. Cheap basketball, and I know others feel the same. Brunson does this all the time.
Two other points on Jalen, and then I will sing the superlatives he so richly deserves.
Read more on Chicago Star
From Lincolnshire, IL, to NBA superstar: The Jalen Brunson Story
USA Men’s National Team on fire, beats Paraguay 4-1 in historic FIFA World Cup 2026 opener
One is that he is a good passer when he wants to be. But similar to Michael Jordan, he only passes if he has to. I heard one basketball expert compare the passing of Michael Jordan to LeBron James by saying this: “Michael was a willing passer; LeBron is an anxious passer.”
Meaning this: LeBron James took joy in passing. He enjoyed seeing his teammates get the ball and took pride in his passing. Michael Jordan—and here is where he compares with Jalen Brunson when it comes to passing—was a willing passer. In other words, “willing” to pass if he had to. Only if he had to, he wasn’t anxious to pass to teammates the way LeBron was.
That is the way Brunson is. He only gives it up if he must. Not my style of basketball.
The second thing is his dad, Rick. He can be a problem. Rick was an NBA player and a tough son of a gun as a player. I always enjoyed watching him play. But he is the typical way-too-involved parent. Not just a parent in this case, though, but he is one of the Knicks’ assistant coaches!
It is pretty clear that Dad Rick is in the ear of his son Jalen. Too much. Is part of Jalen’s ball dominance because of Dad Rick's influence? Obviously, I don’t know for sure, but it certainly looks that way as a fan watching. When there is a referee dispute on a call—especially if it is on Jalen? Rick is the first one up and in the ref’s ear.
Dude, you are an assistant coach, not even the number-one or -two assistant—so sit your butt down and let the other coaches (you know, like the head coach!) deal with the refs and your son.
Ok, that’s enough, and thank you for letting me get that all off my chest.
I recently wrote a very complementary article on Brunson for this website. You can read it by clicking on this link.
Jalen Brunson is an amazing story, an incredible competitor, and one who has been a winner at every level. In addition, he has done it all, at the highest levels of the NBA, without being 6-foot-7 or 7 feet and without tremendous athletic ability. He does it on sheer will and determination. So all kudos to the kid from Stevenson High School.
But still, as a fan? I don’t like his game. Too much dominating the ball by himself.
The basketball purist in me just doesn’t enjoy watching that.
(0) comments
Welcome to the discussion.
Log In
Keep it Clean. Please avoid obscene, vulgar, lewd, racist or sexually-oriented language.
PLEASE TURN OFF YOUR CAPS LOCK.
Don't Threaten. Threats of harming another person will not be tolerated.
Be Truthful. Don't knowingly lie about anyone or anything.
Be Nice. No racism, sexism or any sort of -ism that is degrading to another person.
Be Proactive. Use the 'Report' link on each comment to let us know of abusive posts.
Share with Us. We'd love to hear eyewitness accounts, the history behind an article.